By Ross Forman
They handled Illinois’ best, but couldn’t contain Missouri’s three-time defending state champions.
Neuqua Valley upset defending state champion New Trier Green 1-0 Thursday morning in the semifinals of the annual Blackhawk Charities Holiday Hockey Tournament at The Edge in Bensenville. But Christian Brothers College proved to be too much, defeating the Wildcats 2-1 for their third straight tournament title. The Cadets (20-0-2) have gone 116 straight games without a loss. The Wildcats fall to 32-5-5.
“It’s a little disappointing, upsetting to give it your all and yet come out on the short end,” said Neuqua senior forward Doug Cahanin, who scored on a breakaway 49 seconds into the game off a pass from senior Alex Arnold. “That (goal) came off a new play that we’ve been working on. Off the faceoff in our (defensive) zone, we try to win the puck back to our defenseman who then flips it over their defenseman. At the same time, I just take off and try to get behind (their defensemen).
“When I caught up with the puck, I didn’t have a lot of time, so I just took it to my backhand and scored.”
That was the only goal CBC junior Cal Heeter (18 saves) surrendered.
“I thought it was a real good game,” said Heeter, who had nine saves Thursday morning as the Cadets defeated their arch-rival, DeSmet (Mo.), 1-0 in the semifinals.
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Tournament MVP Brendan Sheean scored the game-winner against DeSmet and tied the game against Neuqua, 1-1, with about six minutes to play in the first of the two 22-minute periods. Jon Wilkinson scored the game-winner about four minutes later, beating Neuqua goalie Zach Thorne (22 saves) from the right side into the lower left corner.
“We were going all out, but then had a few minor mishaps — and they got us,” said Thorne, who had 29 saves against the Trevians.
The win over New Trier was the first in coach Kevin Shupenia’s two years at the Naperville school. It was the first goal the Wildcats have even scored against Green during the Shupenia era.
“Beating Green was a big confidence-builder,” said Shupenia, whose team has suffered loses this season to CBC, Green, Loyola Gold, Naperville Central and Fenwick. “Against CBC, they just out-worked us. They stepped it up; we didn’t.”
The Wildcats had several scoring chances in the first half, including a deflection by senior forward Jordan Niquette that hit off the crossbar. But the Cadets dominated the play, though Thorne came up big several times, such as the time he stopped Sheenan on a breakaway with about 5:50 remaining.
“I thought it was a helluva game. Those kids, on both teams, worked so hard; it was awesome to watch,” said CBC coach John Jost. “That’s the hardest-working team we’ve played against all year.”